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Sexually Transmitted Infections. Groupings of STI’s. Chlamydia. Chlamydia. What is it? Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. It is among the most common STIs in the world.
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Chlamydia What is it? • Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. It is among the most common STIs in the world. • In Canada, the majority of cases are aged 15-24, and more than twice as many reported cases are from women than from men. • Chlamydia can be passed along by having unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex.
Chlamydia Symptoms • Chlamydia bacteria can infect the cervix, rectum or the urethra. Sometimes, it can also infect the throat after performing oral sex. • Infection can also spread to the eyes by touching an infected area and then touching the eye. In places where treatment is not available, these eye infections can be very serious and can cause blindness. • Symptoms usually appear between 2 days to 2 weeks after contracting the infection.
Chlamydia Testing • Testing for chlamydia can be performed with a swabbing of the infected area (cervix, urethra, rectum) or with a urine sample. A health care professional may ask for the contact information of recent sexual partners or ask that you inform them that they need testing. Treatment • Chlamydia infection can be cured with antibiotics, usually with a single dose.
Gonorrhea What is it? • Gonorrhea is a bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection. It is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea is also known as “The Clap”. • Though gonorrhea infection was on the decline, the number of people with gonorrhea infection is on the rise in Canada. The bacteria are also becoming resistant to certain types of antibiotics. • Gonorrhea is spread through unprotected oral, anal and vaginal sex with an infected person. It can also be spread from an infected mother to her baby during birth.
Gonorrhea Symptoms • Gonorrhea infection may occur in the rectum, penis, cervix or throat. • Both men and women may have no symptoms, and sometimes a woman’s symptoms may be mistaken for a bladder or urinary tract infection. • Remember, infected people who have no visible symptoms can still transmit the infection to others. • They usually appear within two to seven days of infection, but this can take up to 30 days.
Gonorrhea Testing • For men and women, testing for gonorrhea requires a swabbing of the infected area or a urine sample. It is important to remember that this test is not part of a regular pap test screening for cervical cancer. Treatment methods • Oral antibiotics can usually cure a gonorrhea infection in just one dose, but it can be reacquired immediately after treatment. Some may be resistant to certain antibiotics. Your recent sexual partners should also be informed as they may require testing and/or treatment.
Syphilis What is it? • Syphilis is a bacterial STI that is caused by the bacteria Treponemapallidum. It is generally a very rare STI, but it can cause serious and permanent damage to the body if it is not cured. In some rare cases, particularly where treatment is not available, syphilis infection can cause death. • Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that is passed along through anal, vaginal or oral sex. An infected pregnant woman can also pass along the infection to her unborn child.
Syphilis Symptoms • Untreated Syphilis infection can progress through four stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary. It is most infectious in the first two stages, and does the most harm during the latent and tertiary stage. • Syphilis produces a wide range of symptoms that mimic other illnesses. For this reason it has become known as “the great imitator”, and is often very difficult to diagnose. • As a person progresses from stage to stage, the symptoms of syphilis may go away without treatment. This does not mean that the infection is gone. • A person may think that the infection has cleared on its own after symptoms disappear, but the infection will persist and long-term infection can cause serious and permanent damage to the heart, brain, bones or blood vessels.
Syphilis Primary Infection Symptoms • The main symptom of primary syphilis is a single open sore at the point of infection, typically on the genitals, anus or throat. This sore will typically appear Between 10 to 90 days after infection (21 days on average). • This sore will heal spontaneously in 3-8 weeks, but this does not mean that the syphilis infection is gone or that the person is no longer infectious. • The sore is painless and heals on its own, some people may not seek treatment, and may even forget about the sore entirely after a while. Secondary Infection Symptoms • Symptoms of secondary Syphilis generally occur three months after contracting the infection. • They mimic flu symptoms and may include hair loss (including eyebrows and eyelashes), muscle and joint pain, rashes (particularly on the palms and soles of the feet), and fever and swollen glands • Again, these symptoms will typically disappear on their own, but this does not mean that the person is no longer infected or that they are can no longer transmit the infection to others. • Secondary symptoms usually lasts 3 to 12 weeks, but may persist for years until the infection moves into the latent stage. Once in the latent stage, a person may still have “relapses” in which secondary symptoms will reappear.
Syphilis • Latent Infection Symptoms • After primary and secondary symptoms disappear, an infected person will enter a latent stage of syphilis, in which they will have no symptoms. However, this does not mean they are no longer infected, and in the early latent infection the person may still transmit the infection to others. • During this time, the syphilis bacteria may continue to multiply and infect the body. A person in the latent stage may occasionally return to the symptoms of secondary infection. This latent stage may last for one year to 30 years. Tertiary Infection Symptoms • Tertiary syphilis occurs in 40% of untreated infected persons. • This stage can lead to complications that include major internal or external sores, serious cardiovascular and mental health problems, and damage to other organs such as the eyes and ears. In some cases, these complications can lead to death.
Genital Herpes What is it? • Genital Herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) which is from the same family of viruses that cause cold sores. Cold sores are generally caused by a type of Herpes Simplex Virus called HSV-1, and genital herpes is usually caused by type HSV-2. However, both types can infect the genital areas, causing painful sores. • There is no cure for genital herpes and often people will have recurring outbreaks. During these outbreaks the infected person will have sores and symptoms for a while, then the virus will go into a dormant stage and the person will have no symptoms again until the next outbreak. • Genital Herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area, typically during oral, anal or vaginal sex. In rare cases, a herpes infection can be spread from mother to child during birth. Active cold sore infections of HSV-1 can also be transmitted through kissing.
Genital Herpes Symptoms for both men and women include: • Itchiness of genitals • Small blisters in the vagina or on the vulva or cervix; on or around the penis or testicles; on or around the anus; or on the thighs or buttocks • Tender lumps on the groin (especially at the time of the first episode) • The first episode may be accompanied by fever or headaches. • Blisters often burst leaving painful sores. These sores may dry up leaving scabbing which may fall off • Painful urination • A slight tingling or burning may be a sign that an active outbreak is coming • Symptoms typically appear within 2 to 20 days of infection.
Genital Herpes • There is no cure for Herpes, but effective treatments for outbreaks do exist. • However, frequency and severity of infections can be partially managed with medication. By themselves. • HSV-1 and HSV-2 are generally not considered a serious health risk. However, in very rare cases, the Herpes Simplex Virus can cause serious illness. • Infected pregnant women can pass the virus to infants during birth, causing lesions and possibly life-threatening infections of the central nervous system of the baby.
HIV What is HIV? • HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and is the virus that causes AIDS. • HIV is an incurable sexually transmitted virus that attacks and weakens a person’s immune system. Your immune system is a complex system that fights off infection and generally keeps you healthy. A person infected with HIV is said to be HIV-positive. What is AIDS? • AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is a syndrome, and is the collection of symptoms, signs, and characteristics that occur once a person’s immune system has been substantially weakened by HIV infection.
HIV • Symptoms • It often takes many years before a person infected with HIV displays any symptoms of infection. During this time a person may spread the virus to many people. • This is one of the reasons why HIV is a very difficult illness to control - many people may not know they are infected until it has already been spread. • Some of the more common symptoms of HIV infection include constant weight loss and fatigue, night sweats, loss of appetite, constant diarrhea and recurring yeast infections.
HIV Treatment • Though there is no cure for HIV, treatment has progressed dramatically. People who are infected with HIV are living longer without opportunistic infection or other serious diseases. Long-term impact • HIV is an incurable, fatal disease. However, HIV/AIDS treatment is rapidly improving, and people treated for HIV now live longer, healthier lives than before. • AIDS itself does not cause death, but it weakens the immune system so that a person’s body cannot defend itself against other illnesses. There are many causes of death for people with AIDS, including opportunistic infections, cancers, pneumonia, hepatitis, and lung, cardiovascular and kidney conditions.
Hep B What is it? • The word hepatitis means “inflammation of the liver”. Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted virus that can cause scarring of the liver, liver failure, and liver diseases – including liver cancer. Worldwide, hepatitis B is very common. • Hepatitis B is incurable, but a vaccine exists and most infections will clear up on their own. Most people will have no symptoms of an infection. For these reasons, many people who are infected with hepatitis B may never know it and still transmit it.
Hep B Symptoms • In many acute and chronic infections, the infected person will have no symptoms. These cases may go completely unnoticed, or unnoticed for a long period of time after infection. • Symptoms of acute hepatitis are often mild and may be mistaken for the flu. These include: tiredness, aching joints, pain in the stomach area, loss of appetite, nausea and a general feeling of sickness. In some cases, hepatitis B may also cause Jaundice, which is a sign of liver problems.
Hep B Treatment • There are some treatments available for chronic hepatitis B infections that help control the virus from spreading. However, these medications are not recommended for everyone. Impact if not treated • Hepatitis B can cause permanent damage to the liver, including cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer or liver failure. • Pregnant women who carry the virus can pass it to their infants during birth; however, treatment exists that can help prevent transmission from an infected mother. In Canada, pregnant women are routinely tested for hepatitis B infection before giving birth. • People with weakened immune systems because of HIV infection are at a much higher risk of developing a chronic hepatitis infection.
HPV What is it? • HPV infects the body inside and outside: • The human papillomavirus or HPV is one of the most common family of viruses in the world today. HPV is also the world’s most common sexually transmitted infection and is transmitted by skin-to-skin (including sexual) contact. • HPV infects cells inside and outside of the body. These include surfaces of the skin, lining of the mouth, tongue, throat, tonsils, vagina, penis, cervix, and anus. • Most people who get HPV don’t have any signs or symptoms and may unknowingly spread the disease.
HPV • There are many different types of HPV viruses. Over 80 types of HPV have been reliably identified, but researchers believe there are likely over 200. • Some types of HPV can cause common skin warts and plantar warts (warts on the soles of the feet), while over 30 other types of HPV affect the anogenital tract (on or between the anus and genitals).
HPV Genital warts • Not to be confused with skin warts, genital warts (also known as condylomataacuminatum) are mostly caused by HPV types 6 and 11. In women, genital warts can appear on the vulva, urethra, cervix, anus or thighs. In men, they can appear on the penis, scrotum, anus or thighs. Pre-cancerous lesions • In women, HPV can infect cells on the vagina and cervix where they can’t be seen. These lesions (medically known as dysplasia, or abnormal cells of the cervix) are considered to be a pre-cancerous condition. HPV is one of the most frequent causes of cervical dysplasia. There are three types of cervical dysplasia: mild, moderate and severe. Left untreated, dysplasia can progress to cervical cancer. Cancers • Carcinogenic types of HPV cause most cervical cancers and 70% are caused by HPV types 16 and 18. These types may also be linked to oral and penile cancers. Research has shown a strong link between anal cancer and HPV 16.
Treatments and strategies for prevention • Vaccination against HPV • Vaccination to prevent the most common types of HPV infection and cancer of the cervix is now available in Canada. The Government of Canada has approved vaccination for females between the ages of 9 and 26, and studies show that the vaccination is 100% effective in stopping four types of HPV infection.
HPV • Genitalwarts • Trying to remove the visible warts does not always eliminate HPV and genital warts can reappear. Chemical treatment methods can be painful, embarrassing and may cause scarring. Two powerful chemicals (podophyllin and trichloroacetic acid) are capable of destroying external genital warts with direct application, but this must be repeated several times. • A new product, Imiquimod cream, is now available and has had some success at stimulating the immune system to fight the virus. • Depending on the size, number of warts and where they are located, other methods for removal of external warts include: • Cryotherapy (damaged cells are killed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen); • Electrosurgery (passing an electric current through abnormal cells); • Laser therapy (super heats and vaporizes abnormal cells).
Pubic Lice • What are crabs/pubic lice? • Measuring in at about a millimetre tall, pubic lice (phthirus pubis) are tiny crab-like insects that nest in pubic hair. They bury their heads into the skin and live off human blood, laying their egg sacks (nits) near the base of the pubic hairs. • A substance they secrete into the skin can cause intense itching, and the bites of adult lice turn small patches of skin to a bluish-grey colour. • Unlike head lice, pubic lice have small, wide bodies and arms that resemble crabs. These lice can also be found in chest, armpit and facial hair, eyebrows and eyelashes.
Pubic Lice • How are crabs/public lice spread? • Pubic lice can be spread during intimate contact. They do this by crawling from one person to another, since they have no wings. Pubic lice also can live for one to two days in bedding, towels and clothing belonging to an infected individual, and these items can be a source of transmission. Lice are not related to poor hygiene. Anyone can get lice, though it’s most common among sexually active people and in situations where individuals are in close contact.
Pubic Lice Prevention • Avoid sharing towels and clothing that have not been washed. • If it can’t be washed, vacuum it. • When trying on underwear or a bathing suit at the store always wear something underneath. Symptoms • Pubic lice and nits are small and can be difficult to spot. Infected individuals may experience: • Skin irritation and inflammation accompanied by itchiness and redness. • Small blue spots on the skin where lice have bitten. • Louse feces , fine black particles, in the infected person’s undergarments.
Pubic Lice • Treatment • Non-prescription shampoo that can be purchased at a pharmacy, clinic or doctor’s office. Usually one wash is all it takes. In cases where a second washing is needed, apply it four days after the first treatment. The pharmacist will be able to help you. • A fine-toothed comb or the fingernails can be used to scrape the eggs off the hairs. • It’s important to tell recent sex partners so they can be treated at the same time. • Clothes, bedding, and other possible contaminated items should be washed in hot water or dry cleaned, or bagged for a week. Items that cannot be washed or bagged should be vacuumed. • Shaving may not necessarily get rid of the problem Testing • Healthcare professionals inspect the area for the crabs and the small greyish-white eggs they lay. Adult lice can easily be identified just by looking at the area with a magnifying glass, or viewing a sample of the area under a microscope.
Scabies What are scabies? • Scabies are parasitic mites that dig holes (burrow) under the surface of the skin and lay eggs. The larvae that hatch move to new areas of the body and spread the infection. Mites prefer warm areas such as the folds of skin on the elbows, wrists, buttocks, knees, shoulder blades, waist, breasts, and penis, between the fingers, and under the nails. How are scabies transmitted? • Scabies are spread through close contact with someone who is infected. Scabies can live for three days on clothing, towels and bedding. These can be a source of transmission, but that is much less likely than skin to skin contact. • Mites are not related to poor hygiene. Anyone can get scabies, though it’s most common among sexually active people and in situations where individuals are in close contact.
Scabies What are the symptoms? • Within three to four weeks of infestations an infected person could experience: • Intense itchiness, especially at night-time or after bathing. This is caused by an allergic reaction to the mites’ feces. • Reddish rash on fingers, wrists, armpits, waist, nipples, or penis. • With reoccurrences, the same symptoms occur more rapidly within hours to days of a re-infestation. • Severe infections are commonly seen in people with compromised immune systems or HIV. The skin can become scaly or crusty, requiring more complex and aggressive treatment.
Scabies • Treatment • A special lotion the doctor prescribes is applied to the whole body. • Some treatments are available without a prescription, ask your pharmacist • Clothes, towels, bedding and other possible contaminated items should be washed with hot water or drycleaned, or bagged for three days to one week. This kills the mites. • tems that cannot be cleaned should be vacuumed.
